Sunday, 2 May 2010

I’d like to report some anti-social behaviour, Chief Supt Wisbey

Waltham Forest has a new police commander:

Chief Supt Wisbey has vowed so get more officers patrolling the streets, especially at times when the most crimes occur. He has also promised to tackle reports of anti-social behaviour earlier so problems do not escalate.

It certainly doesn’t feel safe, cycling around Waltham Forest. And a large part of that feeling of danger derives from the Met’s lamentable record on road traffic law enforcement and the continuing reduction in traffic policing.

Traffic policing is not regarded as a very serious police commitment by the Met’s top brass, even though as a Londoner you are far more likely to be killed or injured in a road crash than by a terrorist, gunman or knife-wielding hoodie. The streets of Waltham Forest are crammed with drivers chatting on mobile phones, jumping red lights and speeding, who know very well that the chance of them being apprehended for their criminally reckless behaviour is negligible.

As for anti-social behaviour. If you’d ever pushed a wheelchair you’d know what it’s like to encounter an inconsiderate yob who has parked their vehicle across a pavement or a dropped kerb, blocking it.

And it’s continuing. This was the scene on Selborne Road E17 at mid-day on 27 April. The G4S van was parked, with the driver absent from his cab. This particular driver had excelled himself by not only blocking the pavement, but also by parking across the dropped kerb, and forcing able-bodied pedestrians to step out right in front of motorists exiting the car park. Spot the car edging out from behind the G4S van in the photo below.